Mary Lou Kishmar

Mary Lou Kishmar, 79, of rural Chamois, passed away Wednesday, October 14, 2020, at Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City with family by her side.

Mary was born March 11, 1941, in Warrensburg, the daughter of Norbert and Marie (Carter) Stieferman.  

She grew up in Chamois, attended St. Mary's Parochial School and graduated from Chamois High School in 1958.  In September she enrolled in St. John's School of Nursing in St. Louis and graduated in June 1961.  On September 2, 1961, she married George Kishmar, also of Chamois, in Belleville, Illinois.

George was a MU student at the time and after his graduation they moved to Seattle where he was employed at Boeing.  She took time off to raise their two daughters before returning to nursing.  They lived in Seattle nearly 32 years before returning to rural Chamois in 1997.

Mary was a very talented and artistic lady who loved to sew, paint, cook, forage for food in the wild, hike in the mountains and go boating in the Puget Sound area near Seattle.  She was also very creative and would take damaged toys and material and restore them or create totally new artwork out of natural or exotic materials.  She even saved the lint from her dryer to make sweet fuzzy critters.  But most of all, she was a loving wife, mother and grandmother who was dearly loved and will never be forgotten.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister Lois Dattilo. 

Survivors include her loving husband of 59 years, George; two daughters Shari Statler (Glenn) of DeFuniak Springs, Florida and Cindy Chavez (Jesus) of Jefferson City; three granddaughters Dolana Statler, Vanessa Statler and Samantha Negron; one great-grandson Samuel Morrisey; and one sister Dema Schnauss (Gene) of Chamois.

Mary will be cremated per her request.  A memorial service will be held privately by the family. 

Memorial donations are suggested to the Chamois Lions Club, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or Wounded Warriors.  

Arrangements are under the direction of Morton Chapel, Linn, Missouri (897-2214)

www.mortonchapel.com